Harden Hall renovations moving forward smoothly

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - The renovation of Northern Michigan University’s Harden Hall and Olson Library is approaching the halfway mark, with completion targeted for December 2025.

Everything has been removed from the building and the construction team is working on wiring and adding drywall.

The school closed the facility just over a year ago, Spokesperson Derek Hall says he’s excited to say the project is on track.

“The library was originally built in 1966 so almost 60 years ago, libraries changed quite a bit,” Hall said. “One example is that places to plug in to charge your phone, weren’t a thing back then. There are many great changes, study rooms, technology, open space, and students' meeting space.”

Hall says one of the project’s main goals is to transform the second and third floors into a state-of-the-art high-tech library. Some of the amenities include a new library, student commons, student Art Gallery, furniture, and 24 study rooms.

“This project is really adding other things to this building, we are bringing classrooms into this building, we are going to have some academic departments here,” Hall said. “We are going to have a lot of student services and tutoring on campus is going to be centralized here in this building and that’s a big thing for our students.”

Hall says the $37 million dollar project will also include a new fourth-floor office suite and a writing center.

The project is set to be completed in November and will be open in January 2026.